Brad Pitt to lead zombie film 'World War Z'

PItt, who is also a producing the film through his Plan B company at Paramount, is expected to play a UN researcher gathering together interviews from the survivors of a zombie apocalypse.

Screenwriters J. Michael Straczynski and Matthew Michael Carnahan adapted the screenplay from Max Brooks's best-selling novel. The project was first announced in 2006, with Pitt beating Leonardo DiCaprio to secure the big screen rights.

"I'm glad they took their time, and are trying to make the best zombie movie they can," Brooks told MTV of Pitt's involvement.

Paramount has also reportedly snapped up the rights to Brooks's The Zombie Survival Guide and graphic novel The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks.